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Reissued Corfam Strap Review: Bill Shaine Repro
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malilis
·Thanks a lot 🙏🏻
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Schirra
·Well .. even though I sent a reminder message, I did not get any reply ..too bad ! Does it mean they don't like to explain how they produce Corfam material .. it is mentioned on their website that they are entitled to use the name Corfam .. I wonder if they bought (or received) the details of the product itself ..?
"I recently acquired the exclusive rights to manufacture, market, and sell CorfaM® watch straps in the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, and Japan.
After carefully deriving the actual formula for the material and dissecting original straps made for Omega, Heuer, and others, I am in the process of manufacturing new CorfaM® straps made to the original specifications. There are neither any compromises in the reproduction, nor are there any improvements. The straps are precisely as they were in the late 60s and early 70s. Production standards in the late 60s and early 70s are not what they are today, and there was some minor variation from one strap to the next when it came to color and hole placement. CorfaM® straps were not made by any one manufacturer. Most of the famous brands used multiple manufacturers in different countries. Consequently, there is no single standard for any given strap style.
Omega made its straps in various countries. The variation of hole sizes and of keeper styles was significant. Sometimes there was a single wide keeper, the usual with other brands' CorfaM straps , and sometimes the standard for leather straps double keeper with the outer one floating.
Uniformly, the straps are turned edge, and self-lined with the strap folded over the lug end of the strap so that the back and the front are a continuous piece. This is very different from how straps are made today and required some process reinvention.
Styles 1, 3, and 4 were used by many manufacturers, including Heuer. Style 2 was specific to Omega"
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Vercingetorix
··Spam RiskI thought Corfam went away because it sucked.
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Schirra
·I thought Corfam went away because it sucked.
That would make history wonderfully convenient… but also quite inaccurate.
Plenty of things disappear for reasons other than quality, and just as many come back once context changes. Corfam is probably less about “it sucked” and more about “it belonged to a different moment.”
Which, in itself, is exactly why it’s interesting today.
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Vercingetorix
··Spam RiskThanks.
That would make history wonderfully convenient… but also quite inaccurate.
Plenty of things disappear for reasons other than quality, and just as many come back once context changes. Corfam is probably less about “it sucked” and more about “it belonged to a different moment.”
Which, in itself, is exactly why it’s interesting today.
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Schirra
·It went away because it didn’t breathe and it didn’t stretch.
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HorsinTime
·I thought Corfam went away because it sucked.
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malilis
·Thanks.
That would make history wonderfully convenient… but also quite inaccurate.
Plenty of things disappear for reasons other than quality, and just as many come back once context changes. Corfam is probably less about “it sucked” and more about “it belonged to a different moment.”
Which, in itself, is exactly why it’s interesting today.
Thank you !
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Schirra
·Yeah, it wasn't good for shoes, which is where it was primarily aimed at.
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timesofplenty
·Got one!
Very nice strap, no disappointments.
Think it looks great with this Wakmann 817 chrono, great fit too.
Very nice strap, no disappointments.
Think it looks great with this Wakmann 817 chrono, great fit too.
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Schirra
·Got one!
Very nice strap, no disappointments.
Think it looks great with this Wakmann 817 chrono, great fit too.
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Schirra
·Another beautiful watch that, in my opinion, has a distinctive look and echoes the look of old catalogs from the 1970s is the Flightmaster, featuring the caliber 810 ref. 145.013.
Although I couldn't find any images of this model with a Corfam strap in old catalogs, I decided to use the 22 mm ribbed strap, a classic Omega design from the era.
Beyond the exceptional comfort of these straps (which I consider much better than the rubber, resins, and other materials used today for diver's watches, while still maintaining waterproofness and lightness), the Flightmaster gains a vintage feel.
One thing I've noticed in my research on Omega's use of the Corfam strap is that the catalogs that most often feature models with the Corfam strap, including the Speedmaster, the Mark series (almost all of them featured the Corfam version), and the Flightmaster, are the German ones.
Perhaps for the time, that market more appreciated the comfort of the Corfam versus the weight of the steel bracelet, especially on the more technical models, such as the Mark series and the Flightmaster series.
I'll leave you with some photos of my 145.013 in this case with the "professional" yellow hands.
Thanks for your attention.
Although I couldn't find any images of this model with a Corfam strap in old catalogs, I decided to use the 22 mm ribbed strap, a classic Omega design from the era.
Beyond the exceptional comfort of these straps (which I consider much better than the rubber, resins, and other materials used today for diver's watches, while still maintaining waterproofness and lightness), the Flightmaster gains a vintage feel.
One thing I've noticed in my research on Omega's use of the Corfam strap is that the catalogs that most often feature models with the Corfam strap, including the Speedmaster, the Mark series (almost all of them featured the Corfam version), and the Flightmaster, are the German ones.
Perhaps for the time, that market more appreciated the comfort of the Corfam versus the weight of the steel bracelet, especially on the more technical models, such as the Mark series and the Flightmaster series.
I'll leave you with some photos of my 145.013 in this case with the "professional" yellow hands.
Thanks for your attention.
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HamDoctor
·What's odd is that when I open their store, it shows to me that "Sorry, there are no products in this collection". I swear I saw something there when I visited the site earlier.
A strap for a Dynamic would be quite interesting, but so far, no luck.
A strap for a Dynamic would be quite interesting, but so far, no luck.
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Schirra
·What's odd is that when I open their store, it shows to me that "Sorry, there are no products in this collection". I swear I saw something there when I visited the site earlier.
A strap for a Dynamic would be quite interesting, but so far, no luck.
Well, from what I know, this is a work in progress. At the moment, they only share the story of Corfam straps. All the products are easily purchased on their eBay store, where I bought mine. The offer is wide.
Regarding the Dynamic strap, I think you mean those made “one piece” that go screwed under the back case. It was exactly the strap I own on mine, as in the picture attached (now sold).
I can just imagine that there will not be many collectors owning these watches. For sure, the business is more on the classic two-piece straps.
But this is just my speculation!
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timesofplenty
·What's odd is that when I open their store, it shows to me that "Sorry, there are no products in this collection". I swear I saw something there when I visited the site earlier.
A strap for a Dynamic would be quite interesting, but so far, no luck.
Bill is moving the corfam.net store to Shopify, looks like it's taking a bit of time.
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HamDoctor
·Thanks for the heads-up, guys. Of course, eBay should have been the place to look.
Yes, the one-piece cutout strap that was originally on the Dynamic would be nice. They do have a following and I like the looks, so I can hold out hope for a modern recreation. A metal bracelet does detract from the special oval shape of the Dynamic, I think.
Here's a snapshot of a page from a Spanish Omega catalogue showing what I assume to be the original Corfam straps on the Dynamic:
Yes, the one-piece cutout strap that was originally on the Dynamic would be nice. They do have a following and I like the looks, so I can hold out hope for a modern recreation. A metal bracelet does detract from the special oval shape of the Dynamic, I think.
Here's a snapshot of a page from a Spanish Omega catalogue showing what I assume to be the original Corfam straps on the Dynamic:
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Schirra
·Thanks for the heads-up, guys. Of course, eBay should have been the place to look.
Yes, the one-piece cutout strap that was originally on the Dynamic would be nice. They do have a following and I like the looks, so I can hold out hope for a modern recreation. A metal bracelet does detract from the special oval shape of the Dynamic, I think.
Here's a snapshot of a page from a Spanish Omega catalogue showing what I assume to be the original Corfam straps on the Dynamic:
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malilis
·I suppose you mean the website corfam.net, isn’t it?
Well, from what I know, this is a work in progress. At the moment, they only share the story of Corfam straps. All the products are easily purchased on their eBay store, where I bought mine. The offer is wide.
Regarding the Dynamic strap, I think you mean those made “one piece” that go screwed under the back case. It was exactly the strap I own on mine, as in the picture attached (now sold).
I can just imagine that there will not be many collectors owning these watches. For sure, the business is more on the classic two-piece straps.
But this is just my speculation!
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Passover
·Waiting for mine.... 
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